Australia’s largest public transport project recognised for sustainability

Australia’s largest public transport project recognised for sustainability

Sydney Metro, Australia’s biggest public transport project, has been recognised for being a leader in sustainability by the peak industry body.

The operations, trains and systems (OTS) component of the Sydney Metro Northwest project has received a “Leading” rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) for making sustainability a key deliverable in its design processes.

“This is the highest rating that can be achieved under the ISCA scheme,” said Paul Davies, Manager of Communication and Sustainability for the Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT) consortium, which is responsible for the OTS contract.

The ISCA certificate will be presented on 24 May at a gathering of key stakeholders at the project’s new administration building in Rouse Hill, which was also awarded a Greenstar rating for its design.

ISCA is the peak industry body for advancing sustainability in Australia’s infrastructure. ISCA developed and administers the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating scheme which is Australia’s only comprehensive rating system for evaluating sustainability across design, construction and operation of infrastructure. IS tool looks at the sustainability outcomes of infrastructure projects and assets including environmental, social, economic and governance aspects.

The Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT) consortium is responsible for the OTS contract, and the CEO of NRT Pty Ltd, Mark Elliott, is delighted to see the sustainability efforts of the project team recognised, “This is a landmark project for Sydney and the start of a brand-new style of transportation for Sydney-siders. It will benefit their daily lives in many positive ways, be it work or leisure. Sustainability is not only about environmental responsibility, but improving community well-being and economic prosperity, and this project will deliver on all those aspects”.

Sydney Metro is delivering four rail networks making it the largest transport infrastructure project in Australia. All four projects have achieved a Leading IS rating for their designs and the program of works scored 81.2 also achieving an overall Leading score for the Design.

NRT’s Design and Construction Project Director, Malachy Breslin, added that “the application of over 500 sustainability requirements to such a mega project as Sydney Metro Northwest is a positive reflection of the commitment of the various project contractors and Transport for NSW to deliver a truly sustainable infrastructure asset for Sydney”.

ISCA’s Acting CEO, Ainsley Simpson, was equally positive about the significance of the project and its sustainability credentials, “ISCA is looking to encourage the best possible outcomes for Australia’s infrastructure developments, both large and small. The Sydney Metro Northwest NRT project’s Leading rating at the Design phase demonstrates the intention to deliver long-term sustainability benefits over the lifetime of the rail asset. I’d like to congratulate Northwest Rapid Transit on a great outcome for sustainable transport infrastructure, and also Transport for NSW on their continued commitment to delivering better outcomes for Australian communities.”

The Sydney Metro Northwest project includes eight new railway stations, five upgraded stations and 4,000 commuter car parking spaces for Sydney’s growing North West. Trains will run every four minutes in the peak, that's 15 trains an hour. It is the first stage of the Sydney Metro network and will be the first fully-automated metro rail system in Australia. Sydney Metro Northwest will deliver, for the first time, a reliable public transport service to a region which has the highest car ownership levels per household in Australia.